MANILA, Philippines — Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison yesterday questioned China’s oil exploration capabilities.
In a statement posted on the National Democratic Front (NDF) website, Sison said Duterte should have chosen a European country to explore oil in the West Philippines Sea, as countries in that continent are time-tested in terms of experience and capability in oil exploration.
“The tyrant Duterte and his followers keep on dumbing down the Filipino people. To have their way on major issues, they always put forward false choices on the basis of simpleton arguments that are grossly contrary to facts,” Sison said.
Sison, NDF chief political consultant, said there are many companies in Europe from which the Philippines can choose the best in terms of proven expertise in undersea energy exploration and exploitation as in the North Sea.
“They accept Philippine sovereign ownership of the resources in the (West Philippine Sea) and enjoy the protection of international law, support of the international community of nations and even ab initio (from the beginning) the implied protection of the (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to checkmate any Chinese threat of aggression,” Sison said.
Sison accused Duterte and his followers of committing “treasonous and cowardly” acts in dealing with China and Chinese banks.
“They are apparently already enjoying payoffs in advance,” Sison said. “There can be no bigger corruption than the treasonous sell-out of the sovereign rights of the Filipino people over the oil, gas and other resources in the (West Philippines Sea).”
Sison said these resources, if not sold out, could fund the industrial development of the Philippines.
For its part, labor group Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa yesterday hit the Duterte administration for selling the country’s “sovereignty, patrimony and credibility” to China.
In a statement, Sentro said since he assumed office, Duterte has “exhibited a fanatical obsession with establishing positive links with Beijing through Chinese President Xi Jinping.– With Sheila Crisostomo